Interlabial pad

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide an interlabial pad, with which an absorbent body does not become lopsided while the interlabial pad is fitted on and yet with which it is unlikely for a foreign-object sensation to be felt while the interlabial pad is fitted on. The present invention provides an interlabial pad comprising: an absorbent body, absorbing liquids; and a cover body, covering the abovementioned absorbent body in an enclosing manner; and wherein the abovementioned absorbent body comprises fiber aggregates in which the fiber directions are oriented randomly, and with the fiber aggregates, the flexural rigidities as Gurley bending resistances are in the range from 25 mg to 130 mg and the ratio of flexural rigidities in two mutually orthogonal directions is in the range from 0.5 to 2.0.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an interlabial pad to be fitted between a woman's labia. More specifically, the present invention relates to an interlabial pad that is improved in fitting properties and fitting comfort.DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART[0002] Interlabial pads have been known as menstrual products of an intermediate positioning between menstrual napkins and tampons. An interlabial pad is partially put between a woman's labia and fitted so as to be in contact with the inner labial walls. Since an interlabial pad is more closely fitted to the body in comparison to a menstrual napkin, it prevents the leakage of menstrual blood and prevents the menstrual blood from dispersing and coming in contact with a wide area of the body and is thus sanitary and clean. Also due to being more compact than a menstrual napkin, an interlabial pad is comfortable, excellent in fitting sensation, and low in the psychological resistance in the fitting process in comparison to a tampon that ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0019] According to the present invention, the fiber orientation of the fiber aggregates forming the absorbent body are made random and a flexural rigidity of the fiber aggregates in an arbitrary direction is made substantially the same as another flexural rigidity of the fiber aggregates in the direction orthogonal to this arbitrary direction. The absorbent body is thereby made less likely to become lopsided in one direction. Since the bulk of the absorbent body can thus be prevented from changing at parts, the falling off of the interlabial pad due to lowering of the area contacting with the inner labial walls can be prevented and a wearer can be prevented from feeling a foreign-object sensation.

[0050] According to the present invention, a dividing region that divides the absorbent body is provided so that a repulsive force against bending will not act readily at the dorsal side of the interlabial pad. Thus at the dorsal side of the labia, the labia will not be spread more than necessary by the repulsive force of the interlabial pad, and the hypersensitive ostium vaginae or parts deeper than the ostium vaginae will be less likely to be irritated and the possibility of making a wearer feel a foreign-object sensation is reduced. Since a repulsive force against bending acts at the ventral side of the interlabial pad and the force folding the interlabial at the front of the labia and the repulsive force of the interlabial pad are balanced or the repulsive force of the interlabial pad is slightly greater, the interlabial pad can be prevented from falling off from the labia. Here, the dorsal side of the absorbent body refers to the direction in which the interlabial pad contacts the ostium vaginae side of the labia when it is fitted on.

Problems solved by technology

However, since the flexibility of the absorbent body is made too high, the absorbent body deforms as much as or more than the deformation of the labial inner walls that occur when a wearer moves and the absorbent body thus becomes lopsided with regard to the PG Corp.

When the absorbent body becomes lopsided, the bulk of the absorbent body becomes high at parts and the area contacting the inner labial walls and the interlabial pad decreases, increasing the likelihood of the falling off of the interlabial pad from between the labia and causing the wearer to feel a foreign-object sensation.

However, since this interlabial pad is also high in tensile strength, it is extremely high in flexural rigidity and thus makes a wearer feel a foreign-object sensation.

Also, in the case of this interlabial pad, since the fibers are mainly oriented in the longitudinal direction, the ratio of flexural rigidities of the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction takes a high value of 3.0, and thus, as with the interlabial pad of PG Corp., there is a high likelihood for the absorbent body to become lopsided.

Since the interlabial pad "INSYNC" can furthermore be fitted deeply between the labia, there is the possibility of damaging the inner labial walls.

Thus with the prior-art interlabial pads, it was difficult to prevent the absorbent body from becoming lopsided while an interlabial pad is fitted on and yet make it unlikely for a foreign-object sensation to be felt while the interlabial pad is fitted on.

When a flexural rigidity of the fiber aggregates is greater than 130 mg, it becomes difficult for various movements of the labial inner walls to be followed and a wearer is made to feel a foreign-object sensation.

Also, gaps form between the labial inner walls and the interlabial pad may leak body fluids.

However, a maximum tensile elongation that is too high is not preferable as the absorbent body will then deform excessively and become lopsided.

However, it is not preferable for the fiber length to become excessively long since the flexibility of the fiber aggregates will then, become too high, causing the absorbent body to become lopsided and the percentage of falling off of the interlabial pad to increase.

Spaces between fibers thus decrease, the flexibility of the fiber aggregates decreases, and this is not favorable since a wearer is made more likely to feel a foreign-body sensation and the inner labial walls may become damaged.

Also, even if the fiber aggregates at the lower region separate and lumps of the fiber aggregates overlap, since this part is not in contact with the vestibular floor, it is unlikely to irritate the vestibular floor.

When the thickness of the interlabial pad becomes thin, the repulsive force that opposes the holding force of the labia weakens and the possibility of the interlabial pad falling off from the labia increases.

It is not preferable that the maximum tensile elongation is less than 15%, since the spatial shapes between fibers will not deform readily and this may cause a wearer to feel a foreign-object sensation.

When the repulsive force of the part positioned at the region that protrudes to the dorsal side of the labia is high, the fat and muscle in the vicinity of the anus may be irritated more than necessary and a wearer may feel a foreign-object sensation.

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